The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1887-05-20

high?" and volley of other SINH
lar EXPLANATIONS burst from the party
as we gain the top of the hill in time to see
Mrs Reynard take stone fence at bound
and turning, start in a newly plowed field,
scuttIe up the fence. 'Here we come, boys"
yells the major as the pack in full cry break
up the hill in the hot trail. "Who's that in
the lead? Wanderer, by links! Look at
old Driver, though he's pushin' him. Told
you that English hound O yourn warn't no
count. Look at him stragglin' amt givin
no tongue, either The pack, which has
now swelled to twenty dogs, is indeed, max
ing it hot for old Mrs. Fox Can they keep
it up? Across two more fields, up rayine,
back across the creek away across the blue
grass hill, couple of miles away. We can
just see the dogs that are running in line
close together. They are not distinguishable
from each other, but each man is willing to
stake his reputation and hope of future hap
piness on the fact that his particular pet
hound is in front. The music is getting
fainter and fainter, and we can just hear the
cheers and yells of some farm laborers
who happen to be at work in the
fields through which the trail lies. The
voices of hounds and men die away
altogether, and one of the party hazards the
harked the old gal clair outen the kentry."
Old man Ruggles says nothing, but
chews meditatively and listens. He knows
that she fox with young ones is going
to make detour and go to earth every
time. Yes, by Jove there they are again.
Hear them They are coming this, way, and
we ride across couple more fences. leaving
them in state of wreck, and gain hill
that overlooks the country for mile or so
around.
Suddenly the hounds appear over the green
hill about half a mile off, Six of them rum
ming together, the rest struggling. 'Well,
do clare sings out the old man, reused out
of his stolidity, eff them two Jenny dogs
amt a-leadin'. Old Tai next, Driber, Slow
boy and the old slut. Boys, amt they a.
talxin' her? Runnin' breast high. She
can't be fur ahead. Here they come. They'll
pass us agin, sure.'' "Yow-yow, yow-yow.
yow-ow-o-o-o e-e-e,' comes up from the creek
bottom, near and nearer. We all watch in
this direction intently and wait in CULVER
of excitement. Another shout, correspond
ing to view-halloo from one of the party,
"Yender she is. They've got her, boys"
Toiling over the green hill, just across the
new fence from us, comes the old she fox. No
longer kicking up her legs, with her tail high
in the air, but flattened out, with dragging
brush and open mouth, but running like
streak all the same Poor thing, her mater
nal duties have untitled her for holding out
long before these swift, lean-fanked dogs.
She had over-rated her powers in leading
them away from her den, where she left her
kittens, and now will she be able to reach it
before those fierce, hot jaws, scarcely hum
dred yards behind her, tear her to pieces
No feeling Of pity or sympathy agitates the
breasts of the hunters, however.
The dogs appeared over the hill. Black
Jenny in the lead clears a fence without
| touching it, She views the fox and is rum
ming head up, followed by the five dogs
whose speed and endurance have enabled
them to hold the terrific pace. We scramble
in their wake Dick breasts fence and
tears gap big enough to let us all through.
Whoopl hallooo, down the thicket through
briar patches over bitches, we follow them.
Boys, come on, they'll ketch her in the
medder." Oh, golly wire fence. Never
mind, pull it down; now then after 'em.
The struggling dogs cheered to renewed ex-
ertions by our presence put on extra steam
and come up with us. "Rise 'em out, bark
'em puppies p yells the major as the old
gray hobbies along as excited as he is. We
are almost fifty yards behind the lead dogs
as they emerge in the broad meadow on the
creek where we first started and poor Mrs
f. will never reach the creek. Her den is
half way up the cliff ON the other side, as we
afterward find. My horse without any
exertions on my part but rather to my un-
easiness is well up in front tugging at his
bound, is past the fox, who turns short. The
bitch makes a twist and snap and rolls
over twice in the effort. Now White Jenny
and Tai are right in close. And the Others